Jennifer Lopez wore this bright pink dress from Michael Kors‘s 2012 resort collection to the American Idol elimination show in Hollywood last week. She accessorized with hoop earrings, an Hermès cuff, and Gucci sandals. Just in case you’re curious it sells for $3,995.

Definitely a show stopper. Would you wear it? I absolutely would ….

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Glitter Easter Eggs

In a bowl, dilute craft glue by 1 part water for every 2 parts glue. Tear pages of old books or sheet music or tissue paper into small bits (the smaller the bits the easier to adhere without too many creases…squares seem to work better than strips for this project).

Dip each little piece of paper in the glue mixture, using your fingers to squeegee extra glue off. Also using your fingers (see what I mean…messy!) smooth the pieces on the plastic egg. As you cover the egg, you may find that you can use the extra glue on your fingers to prepare the pieces instead of dipping them.

f you are adding glitter to your eggs, put them into a bowl of glitter and use a spoon to spread over the sides. Use the spoon to scoop out the egg and put on wax paper to dry.

Tie bits of ribbon to each egg.

Next have fun attaching bits and bobs like buttons and flowers. I used a bit of tinsel to attach the buttons, twisting it closed but you could hot glue items to the ribbon.

Gorgeous enough to display all year round!

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How adorable is this? If you’re not feeling crafty how about an Easter Bunny Bread Loaf?

“First, anything that isn’t anchored or attached might move unpredictably. That means raisin eyes or unattached ears or feet might not stay where you left them. Before I figured that out, I had a lot of bunnies with detached ears and loose eyes and noses on the baking sheet. Sometimes things stay in place, but sometimes they don’t.

Second, different parts might rise at different rates—that includes the final rise before going into the oven, as well as in the oven. Before I figured that out, I ended up with some very, very strange bunnies.

Third, it’s okay if some things aren’t perfect. A tilted head, a floppy ear, or a paw that’s a little odd will add character. You’re not going for anatomically correct wildlife.” says serious eats Get the recipe here.

Happy Inspiring Tuesday!

Bella

Easter Egg DIY  via Here

Hello everyone! It’s Spring time once again, my favorite time of the year.  This last week I’ve found so many things to share with you. Flowers and fashion can only bring a smile to your face. And while my yard is in full bloom, I’m doing the same with my closet! Quick trip to San Francisco last Thursday was all that was necessary. Albeit a quick stop at my local mall would have produced the same effect. But let’s face it, nothing beats San Fran.

Two looks I used for inspiration while shopping were the two below. I love a Spring blazer over a little cami with my favorite pair of jeans. Always look for one with a little special detail, notice the interior of the cuff, the pleated shoulders and especially the CUT. The cut of a blazer can take your look from drab to fab. Always insist on a narrow waist, with some minor details!

Notice the details on Kim’s blazer. The draping, hard edged shoulders, and the length of the sleeve. So polished!

Such an easy way to create a little Spring in your home. I found these on Pinterest. Flower inspired cookies and so easy to make. {directions below}

Roll a dough ball in colored sugar. Snip it in half with scissors, then snip each half into three petals. Gently spread the petals apart and lay flat.

How many of you struggle with your hair? Yes, I get it and sympathize with you.  Let me describe my hair, it’s fine, but plenty of of it. With the amount of coloring and torturing I do to it, let’s just say it’s a little frail. My daughter Jaime actually is the one who recommended this to me. She has fabulous hair, thick and healthy.

  With the radical differences in Jaime’s and my hair, I was a little skeptical. I thought for sure mine would be flat with zero body.

Always a sucker for a new product, I tried it. The only problem with it is they should have called it “It’s an11.” Shiny, silky, healthy hair after just two uses. It’s available at most salons or beauty supply houses. If you have trouble finding it let me know. ps {I was not paid for this endorsement)

Have a great weekend!

Bella

They do look a little chunky, but fun! Perfect for that special evening.

This was made popular last year on the runways and somehow I missed it! Oh well, I still think it’s outrageously cool. I am applying mine thin, so as to not be so chunky. I also pick up my beads at Michaels, the smallest I could find.

work on one nail at a time and apply two coats of the Black polish.

sprinkle Caviar pearls over your painted nail ensuring you do this whilst the nails are still wet.

once fully covered, gently press and compact the Caviar pearls into your nail bed to ensure durability.

once finished, leave your nails to completely dry for 15 to 20 minutes.

Voila! You now have perfectly Caviar manicured nails.

Here is another gorgeous idea. Simply apply a coat of glitter polish between two coats of Red! How FAB right?

I found this one on Pinterest. Are you on Pinterest? I’m officially obsessed with it! Here’s a link to my boards, follow at your own RISK! jk

http://pinterest.com/ciaobella50/

Bella

Instructions pics via Ciate

Pearls are the ultimate accessory. Mixing up the flavors can also work, as shown above. Nothing compares to the ladylike look!

Below is a cell phone showing it’s most glamorous self, swathed in luscious pearls.

DIY Mermaid Hairpins 

Chanel Spring 2012 was the inspiration for this DIY from the lovely This Is Glamorous and she does a fabulous job of recreating the undeniable glamour.    . . .   ”the magic underwater kingdom created by karl lagerfeld – there was lightness and seashells, but most astonishingly lovely, were the iridescent pearls glistening from chignons and following the curvatures of necks and down plunging backs . . . ” says Rosaline

Are you inspired? How beautiful to adorn an up-do for those days when you need a little enchantment!

Bella

Please forgive me for the  small sabbatical away from my blog. After 3 years of non stop blogging, I needed to recharge my batteries.

I’ve been feeling really creative as of late. Idea’s float around in my head at the most awkward moments. Like when I’m trying to get to sleep especially! Creativity can sometimes be a curse, if you ignore it you kind of feel guilty.

So a quick trip to the LA markets this weekend and I shall have everything I need to incorporate these ideas. Tons of swarovski, pearls, ribbons, feathers and bows.

I’ve always yearned for things that are not easily found or so ridiculously priced. So now I compensate by creating what I want myself.

On my to-do list is two chairs in my Living Room. They absolutely need some GLAM. A couple of months ago I purchased two black simple barrel chairs and seriously every time I walk by them, my eyes decorate them! Same goes for shoes, cell phones, t-shirts and the list goes on and on! Hell I even had the nerve to encompass the edge of my dining room table with crystals. It’s simple and elegant I promise! lol

I sometimes envy people who can simply buy things and be satisfied with the way they look. Me on the other hand, not so much. Everything I buy, my brain immediately goes to the place of “what can I do to make this look better!”

The road trip to LA will be a blast and I can’t wait to share with you my new idea’s that are bounding around in my head.

Welcome back to your blog Bella!  {smiley face inserted here} XoX

PS … shall I tie in the headline of this blog, ummmm no I think it’s pretty self explanatory!

Pics via tumblr, weheartit, and the wild fleur

To get this look, you’re going to need a sheer, milky white polish; 3-4 complementary nail colors (we chose purple, hot pink, fuchsia, and baby blue); nail decals; polish remover, and a disposable eyeliner brush.

Fleury says it’s going to be easiest to unscrew all of the tops of your bottles before you begin this one — it takes a long time to dry and you’re more apt to smudge if you have to futz around too much. Start off by painting all of your nails with the creamy white polish (Fleury likes Color Club’s Bonjour Girl shade). “It helps to have a lighter base with these bright designs so that the colors pop more,” says Fleury. After this, you’re going to want to do one nail at a time, as you need the polishes to be semi-wet.

Starting at the base of the nail, paint a thick strip of color diagonally across the nail. Do this with all the colors, until you reach the tip of the nail. It’s okay if you overlap, since you are going to blend them anyways. Fleury recommends mixing up the order of the colors for each nail to give this look a more authentic feel.

While the polish is still wet, dip your eyeliner brush in some nail polish remover (it should be wet, not soaking) and, starting at the base of the nail, gently drag it up vertically through the colors. Do this in four separate lines, all the way across the nail. Repeat this on each nail, then wait for it to dry.

Apply a thick top coat to the nail, then grab an orangewood stick and tap it against the brush of the top coat to get a dab of it on the stick. Use that dab to pick up a star decal and place it on the nail, pressing it into the still-wet top coat on your nail. Repeat with a few different sizes of stars, or add some crystals if you’re feeling really fancy. Added bonus: The decals are really great at covering up any mistakes. Wait for it to dry, then apply another layer of top coat to the whole nail to hold it all together.

Hello everyone! Is this a happy mani or what? Perfect for Spring.

In other news, my weight loss update. I soooo went off the wagon this weekend. OMG so frustrating! Back on today with a delicious Lean Cuisine … kinda bleh, but two bike rides later I should be good.  : )  { Down 15lbs in 23 days} yay, yay….

Happy Monday dolls…

Bella XoX

pics and article via Refinery 29

I finally finished the frame I was making for my daughter Jaime’s Christmas gift. As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, I was hand-making her gift.  Obviously no glitz or glamour here, which was a major stretch for me. Unless it sparkles …. well I kind of find it boring. But sometimes as a Mother you have to do what you’ve gotta do, right? After all this is going in her barn, so keep that in mind!!!  : )

I went to Hobby Lobby last night looking for just the right frame. I found this one, that looks old and used. For an added touch I wanted to add a few western theme pieces to amp up the frame. And this is what I came up with!

I thought this skull was fabulous, so western.

The top two items are drawer pulls that I felt matched this wrought iron plaque with hooks. (perfect for her to hang to horse lead ropes .)

Quick tip: by using a small pair of sciccors to hold the nail in place, it made the job a lot easier. Have you seen the size of these nails?

I used a glue gun for the drawer pulls and skull to attached them to the frame. Doesn’t the frame look rustic, here’s your first look.

I had the picture blown up to a 20 x 30 size. I did have to trim the photo to accomodate the frame. Once I secured the frame to the picture, added the hanger on the back, applied the pulls, plaque and skull, this is how it turned out!

The finished size is quite large and impressive. And as always the details get lost in the photography here. My first western project and probably my last, but I do love how it turned out! I hope she does as well.

Happy Crafting

Bella

XoX

 I have found so many gorgeous DIY’s this holiday season, the blog world is just bursting with creativity.  These DIY Miu Miu Jeweled Heels are stunning and what a fabulous job  the ladies at  HonestlyWTF did! So simple, yet so creative. Any heel will do, but here is a link to the ones they used.   Heels here.

You’ll need:

• a pair of heeled shoes
• 40-50 large and medium (10-15 mm) multi-shaped rhinestones
• 30-40 small (3-6 mm) round rhinestones
• E-6000 glue
• tweezers
• small dish or container
• toothpick
• flat nose pliers (optional)

A tip: the smaller round stones will require the tiniest bit of glue. Dip a toothpick into the glue, dab it onto the backside of the stone and apply to the shoe.

Press the stone into the top of the center of the heel. Add several other large stones around the top, gradually working your way down to the middle of the heel with smaller stones. Go back and add small round stones in bare spots. There is no right or wrong way to creating the pattern – have fun with it!

Just in time for New Year’s Eve!

Bella

images and tutorial via Honestly WTF 

Getting a little crafty this year and decided to make a few personalized ornaments. This on is for my daughter Jaime.

Supplies I use. Left over ornaments laying around the house. A clear Christmas bulb. A strand of red bulbs, swarovski crystals for the initial and gold ribbon.

First I glued on the crystals with E6000.

Straighten them out carefully with a toothpick. Once I had the initial completed I use nail polish remover to get rid of any remaining glue.

I then tied on the strand of red bulbs and secured them with the gold ribbon, which I made into a perfectly lovely bow. And TA-DA …. a pretty impressive ornament that’s personalized . I tried to photograph it on my tree, and it’s a little hard to see the details, hence the reason I’m asking Santa for a new camera! ” )

Here’s the finished product …

You can only see this glue due to the closeup. In real life you can’t.

 I decided to go the sentimental route this year and hand make a few gifts. Jaimes’ other gift is a picture of her and her horse Grace. I took the picture six months ago, so she won’t even remember.   shhhhhh don’t tell! : )

My daughter did inherit some of my quirkyness like for instance, this picture is going to be hung in her barn. The barn is under construction right now and should be finished mid January and her and I are already discussing how to decorate it. So I thought how cute to have a picture of her and her favorite horse hung proudly by Grace’s stall.

She will definitely be surprised!

How is your holidays going? Any cute DIY you like to share? I’d love to see them.

Happy Weekend Luvs

Bella

No heat lamp, no drying time and no waiting required. All you need is clear polish! You instantly top off any look and outfit. It couldn’t be any easier! The brand above is NCLA

My favorite by FAR are these designs by Nail Rock

Forget nail polish, the best way to decorate your digits is by rocking some designer nail art!

The new NAIL ROCK designer nail wrap range is designed to last up to 7 days on nails and 8 weeks on the toes, with each at home nail wrapping treatment taking just 15 minutes to apply. Unlike nail polish they won’t chip or stain the nail and quicker to apply as no drying time required. Choose to embellish your nails with a vast choice of styles which can’t be achieved with regular polish. Designs include metallic gold, silver, dots and animal print.

Sally Hansen Salon Nail Effects Strips are just as CHIC! These are available everywhere. Quite simple to apply as shown here by Pampered and Polished blogger

And by now you’ve probable seen the look of combing polishes with a different tone on your ring finger! What a great option the nail wraps make.

Sally Hansen design board

Your possibilities are endless!

I’ve showcased 3 of the most popular designers but I’m sure there are many more. Get creative, get GLAMOROUS and always remember just how beautiful you are!

Bella

XoX

OPI Matte Nail Lacquer in Russian Navy, $8.50. Also try: Knock Out Cosmetics Flatte Nail Polish in OX, $19.

OPI and Zoya are both have matte-finish nail polishes, the perfect wear-if-you-dare trendsetting look.

How to Get the Look:

1. Do not use base coat, top coat, speed dryer, or lotions with these polishes.

2. Apply two coats of an OPI Matte shade (Russian Navy – blue in the second picture  and You Don’t Know Jacques – black matte shown in first picture).

3. (Optional) Apply the matching glossy polish to the tip, creating a unique French design.

After posting the picture of the black nails in yesterday’s post, I received so many request’s on how to do this.  Hope you enjoy the quick tutorial above.

Bella

XoX

It’s easy to transform any home into a haunted manor; here, a towering glittered pumpkin centerpiece, gothic silver candlesticks, and black candles shrouded in “spiderwebs” do the trick.

These synthetic pumpkins of varying sizes glisten with a spectral sheen thanks to coats of paint and ultrafine opaque black, silver, and charcoal (a mixture of black and silver) glitter. They are arranged on a tiered cake stand; layers of ‘Dusty Miller’ foliage and a slew of artificial spiders evoke a ghostly garden.

How to Make the Glittered Pumpkins

To decorate the pumpkins, first paint them black, then apply tacky glue to half of each pumpkin using a paintbrush. Hold pumpkin over a bowl filled with glitter. Spoon glitter over glued surface, making certain the glitter falls into all the crevices and sockets, and any excess lands back in the bowl. Place on a plate or tray and let dry for at least 1 hour. Tap or brush off any excess glitter. Repeat gluing and glittering on uncoated surface of each pumpkin until completely covered, and touch up other areas as needed.

Every holiday should sparkle, don’t you think?

Happy Hump Day Dolls!

Bella

XoX

Some days you just don’t wanna. For those days, try this! Seems like I’ve been seeing pictures of this lovely look everywhere. It’s definitely an easy, gorgeous ‘do. Here’s how to get this very uncomplicated knotted ponytail:

Tools

• light holding styling mousse
• comb
• small clear elastic
• large bobbypin

Instructions

1. Apply a light holding styling mousse all over from roots to ends for texture and seperation. Hair can be damp or dry. (If it’s dry, be sure it’s a light holding mousse or you could end up with a strong holding mess.)
2. Separate the hair over your shoulder into two pieces. The piece from the back should come forward and down (see photo).
3. Using your girl scout skills, tie hair into a simple knot. [repeat]
4. Secure the two ends together using a clear elastic. Once it’s in there, slide it up underneath the knot to conceal it.
5. I like to throw a bobby pin in there for extra security.
6. Back comb the ponytail a little for texture and then comb through it with your fingers to settle it.

Tip: Once the steps are complete, tug on it and mess it up a bit. This look is better when it’s a little disheveled!

via LaurenConrad.com

TOOLS

Silver metallic or glitter polish

Navy polish

10 reinforcement stickers

Clear top coat

STEPS

1. Start with clean, bare nails that have been filed.

2. Apply 1 to 2 coats of the silver polish (depending on the coverage of the polish). Be sure to paint your whole nail. If the color ends up showing through the navy polish it will just add a little sparkle, but it is important to have a smooth first layer. Let the polish dry for at least 30 minutes.  It is important your nails are dry before placing the reinforcement stickers on them or else the stickers will peel off the polish and you will have to start all over again. Oh no!

3. Once nails are completely dry, place a reinforcement sticker on each nail with the outside of the sticker mimicking the shape of the moon of your nail.  Cutting a slit in each sticker will allow the stickers lay more evenly on each nail. You can decide what size you would like the moons to be, but it is important that the size stay consistentacross all your nails for it to look right. Once they are all placed where you would like them, apply pressure to each making sure they are secure to your nail.

4.  Now paint the top half or your nail with 2 coats of navy blue polish. Let this coat dry for at least 10 mins.

5.  Once that’s dry, carefully pull the reinforcement stickers off of each nail.

6. Finish with a clear top coat.

Something fun to try this weelend! I love sharing with you the new trends I find. Would love to see your styles you create, send pics!

Have a beautiful weekend dolls!

Bella XoX

via the beauty department

Here is a glimpse into my version of the Glitter Booties. I made them on Sunday, along with a black pair with Silver glitter.

If you missed my DIY project last week, here is the link!

You can probably tell I learned how to distort the background today. Haha …. the pictures were taken at my parking garage at work, not so attractive!

Bella

XoX